The Importance of Quality Audit

INTRODUCTION

Quality is a competitive advantage for companies that have been identified with it and where management is fully identified with its scope, impact, with all that it can generate.

Once instilled requires management be aware of their behavior, caring, the way it is holding, its scope, achievements and weaknesses.

Therefore, the quality audit is an important activity that enables organizations to improve their functions continuously. The audit may be either internal or external to the organization. Internal Audit: Its purpose is to verify whether quality activities are consistent with those specified in the assurance and quality control of these activities, personal development company.

Connective actions after an internal audit should be documented.

External Audit: has the same purpose of internal audit but with the difference being made by members from outside the organization.

The auditor must have adequate training to perform this important position, as well as expertise of this depends on valid results for the final report.

The stages of quality audit are: planning, execution, reporting and monitoring. The quality audit provides valuable information to the address or company managers for making decisions about continuous improvement.

CONSIDERATIONS, definitions, scope, impact and benefits

Currently operating scenarios where businesses require efficient systems for businesses to offer products and services, thereby achieving satisfy customer demand consistent quality standards wings both nationally and internationally that are demanded.

This requires that you consider the behavior of the current scenarios in which they operate by forcing companies checkups quality audits, so stay informed if you really meet the standards, procedures required by the standards of business quality for the Venezuelan case is COVENIN responsible for ensuring that these standards are met and to meet customer demand and requirements.

Take into account that above the scope of the audit in a company is limited mostly to the financial condition and results of commercial operation. For many years was associated with auditing the accounts, would believe that was part of it where the function was a review, check, report that we only outside auditors recommended the company to ascertain the financial position and identify potential fraud or error.

To grow the business, going to grow, covering more markets, the administration became more complicated, gaining importance and internal control testing, requiring the audit administrative decisions regarding the control, organization, method of procedure, process production and costs, budget, etc..

But we know that to achieve the attainment of efficiency in order to participate successfully in the current scenarios you need to have a good quality management through standards or requirements that companies must meet, required by accrediting organizations quality certification, which in Venezuela are:

· Accreditation of the "Directorate of Standardization and Quality Certification."

· Certification of the "Fund for Standardization and Quality Certification," the best way to accomplish this is through the quality audit evaluating all processes and procedures used to check for internal activities and external quality and outcomes meet the planned arrangements and to assess the effectiveness of the quality system.

Definitions

The American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) gives a definition of what is meant by pointing out the quality audit: A systematic review of the actions and decisions of individuals with regard to quality in order to verify or independently assess and report compliance with the operational requirements of the quality program, specifications or contract requirements, product or service

Other definitions of Quality Audit

· Audit quality: A systematic and independent examination of the effectiveness of quality system or any of its parts. (Industrial Quality: Glossary of terms, MINER.)

· Audit Quality: An audit should not be confused with the inspection and supervision activities carried out with the sole purpose of controlling a process or accept a product or service. (UNE 73-401. 87. Quality assurance in nuclear facilities).

· According to according 8402:1994 (vocabulary) quality audit is a methodical examination is performed independently to determine whether activities and results relating to the quality meet the requirements previously established, and to check whether these provisions are carried out effectively and are suitable to achieve the previous goals.

SCOPE

The Quality Audit aims to compare the standards of quality aspects for:

a) Determine if the activities and results relating to the quality satisfies the conditions set.

b) Compare that these provisions are implemented and are adequate to achieve the objectives.

c) Provide information directors, being independent, free from the prejudices of the other departments who report themselves.

d) Determine the effectiveness of the system and make improvements possible.

e) The scope is determined by the customer, who requested the audit and requires auditors to complete it.

f) The internal and external customers should receive good quality service that is efficient, timely, reasonable cost, appropriate to the needs of the unit audited, that satisfies both the man who does as to the recipient.

IMPACT

· The quality audit allows the auditor to evaluate the degree of compliance with the proposed requirements and, if necessary introduce actions for improvement is not so much to detect failures and to determine the effectiveness of actions to achieve the objectives.

· Using the results of the report (which is the final product quality audit) which provides management of the company based on facts and objective evidence. This allows management to make decisions based on facts, not assumptions.

· The quality audit has important implications for the entire company as it affects all functions of the same.

ADVANTAGES

· The quality audit helps to verify and evaluate the quality related activities within an organization and for identifying and improving areas do not conform to the model required.

· Provides the organization to be able to offer product / service that meets customer needs.

· To be competitive with other companies offering the same product / service.

· To be able to offer their products / services worldwide and renowned for its prestige and quality.

· It is a tool that helps improve the quality intended for the user that requires the product / service.

· The audited company keeps up its activities (processes, production, system etc ...)

CONCLUSION

It is advisable for the company in determining function, which is also operating the quality management in their production processes and complying with national and international regulations to ensure a good quality that guarantees competitiveness and achievement.

* Coordinator: Program Quality Management and Productivity? UC graduate area.

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